Iran hosts conference on Islamic resistance to West, Israel

Iran on Wednesday held the third International Conference and Festival of Islamic Resistance, hosting representatives from the Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror groups, according to the Financial Times.

The gathering, meant to discuss ways to overcome alleged regional threats posed by the US and Israel, this year focused primarily on the ongoing upheaval in Syria, which was attributed to the intention of "al-Qaida along with the US, Israel and Arab reactionaries...to overthrow [Syrian President Bashar Assad's] government."

The Iranians described international calls for Assad's removal as "punishment for his support of Palestine," with Ali-Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei, saying that "Syria is the golden link of the resistance chain against Israel," according to the report.

The conference featured a special appearance by Sheikh Ali Jaber, a member of Hezbollah’s central council, who read a message from Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warning that the West and Israel were attempting to draw a "new map” of the Middle East, and stressing that “the Islamic resistance is firm and...will last and continue its activities," according to the Times.

Syrian Ambassador to Tehran, Hamed Hasan likewise claimed that “vicious plans” had been drafted by foreign powers to destroy the “bridge” linking “Iran to Hezbollah, Lebanon and Palestine,” according to the report.